Ikram's It List: This Designer Is Transforming Sportswear Into High Fashion

London-based womenswear designer Johanna Parv elevates sportswear to the epitome of chic.

Athleisure gets a serious dose of style in Johanna Parv’s new collection

Estonian-born designer Johanna Parv splashed onto the international fashion scene last year when she was named a semifinalist for the prestigious LVMH Prize. Now, Parv’s star is rising even higher, as her eponymous sportswear brand has become essential wearing for international women on the move—and now a hot commodity at Chicago fashionista fave boutique Ikram. “Her sensibility in turning sportswear into the chicest kind of clothing is beyond anything I’ve ever seen,” enthuses boutique owner and style guru Ikram Goldman. “She uses a lot of technical fabrics and stretchy materials to make dresses and skirts, shorts attached to a wrap skirt, and little hooded jackets, all of which are interchangeable. If you’re traveling for a quick sporty weekend, like hiking during the day but a cocktail party at night, this is the collection you would pack.”

Chicago fashion queen Ikram Goldman.

For Goldman, Parv’s garments aren’t just chic—they’re a perfect style solution for our every-more-casual times. “Johanna Parv has decided that if sportswear is what people are most comfortable in and how they’re going to dress, she’s going to create the best of the best—and she’s done it.” 15 E. Huron St., ikram.com